National Police Agency (Republic of China)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| National Police Agency | |
|---|---|
| Total Personnel | 68,818 (2004)[1] |
| NPA Units | 11 |
| Local Departments | 26 |
The National Police Agency (警政署) is an agency of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China (Taiwan) which oversees all police related matters on a national level. NPA headquarters is in Taipei, Taiwan.
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[edit] Police Organization & Structure
[edit] Hiearchy
Most actual law enforcement and day to day policing duties are delegated to local police departments on a city and county level which answer to the NPA but are considered agencies of their local government. However the NPA does have direct control over several specialized units which may be deployed to assist local forces, as well as the national highway patrol.
Unlike the police system in USA, the central government of Taiwan decides the head postitions of city or county Police Departments in Taiwan and, therefore, forms a chain of command over all police personnel in Taiwan. By calling a personnel review board, the Director-General of NPA has the full control of the personnel rotation and transfer and the administrative commendations or reprimands over all high ranking police officers, inculding chiefs of local police departments.
- Executive Yuan (行政院)
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- Ministry of the Interior (內政部)
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- National Police Agency (警政署)
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- NPA Units/City and County Police Departments (縣市警察局)
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- Precinct/Division/Squad
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- Station
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- Beat
[edit] NPA Units
In addition to its own internal administrative offices, the NPA has direct control over the following units and agencies:
- Special Police Corps (保安警察隊): There are six Special Police Corps, or "Headquarters of peace preservation police corps". They are the mobile police forces of NPA.
- The First Corps: A training base for courses of on-the-job training and mobile task force. Riot control, Special Weapons and Tactics, counter-terrorism in northern Taiwan.
- The Second Corps: Security duty of all governmental business units under the ministrys of central government, commended by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, ROC in Taiwan.
- The Third Corps: Supplemental security duty of custom services of Ministry of Finance, ROC in Taiwan.
- The Forth and Fifth Corps: Riot control, Special Weapons and Tactics, counter-terrorism in central and southern Taiwan.
- The Sixth Corps: Security duty of central government buildings, high-ranking civil officials, and foreign ambassy or liaison institutes.
- Criminal Investigation Bureau (刑事警察局): Investigation of high profile crimes, forensics, and computer-related crimes.
- National Highway Police Bureau (國道公路警察局): Jurisdiction over national highways.
- Harbor Police Offices (港務警察局): Separate offices with jurisdictions over the ports of Keelung, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Hualien.
- Railway Police Bureau (鐵路警察局): Jurisdiction over Taiwan Railway Administration stations and facilities.
- Airport Police Bureau (航空警察局): The Aviation police are responsible for safeguarding, traffic administration, crime investigation, documents inspection, security examination etc. at local civil airports around Taiwan. Its headquarter is at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
- National Park Police Corps (國家公園警察大隊): Jurisdiction over the national parks, specialization in search and rescue operations.
- Immigration Office (入出境管理局)
- Taiwan Police College (臺灣警察專科學校)
- Police Armory (警察機械修理廠)
- Police Telecommunications Office (警察電訊所)
In January 1998, a task force called "Telecommunication Police Corps" was formed under NPA and attached to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, ROC in Taiwan. It is to ensure that the affairs of radio waves and telecommuncation are maintained in order.
[edit] Local Agencies
Local police departments exist for all administrative divisions above the county/provincial city level. There are 26 local departments in total. All local agencies are subordinate to the NPA as well as their respective local government, and all police officers wear the same uniform regardless of jurisdiction.
It is worth to mention that the local city or county government is responsible to provide budget to its local police department and the chief of local PD will have to attend the city or county council meeting to answer questions from council members. However, all highranking police officers are subjected to personnel rotation or transfer which is under the direct control of NPA. In reality, under the wake of local autonomy since 1990, the Director-General of NPA usually will consult with the city/county mayors about the head positions of local Police Departments.
Somehow different from the Police system of Japan, in Taipei City, which is the capital of Taiwan, the city government has its own Taipei City Police Department and a subordinative criminal investigative force, "Criminal Investigation Division".
The Commissioners of Taipei and Kaohsiung City Police Departments hold the rank of "Director-General, first level," which is the same as the Director-General of NPA.
See: Political divisions of the Republic of China.
[edit] Notable Local Agencies
- Taipei City Police Department
- Kaohsiung City Police Department
[edit] Ranks
Rank insignias are worn over the left breast pocket when in uniform.
| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Police Rank 5 (Police Officer I) | One Star on One Horizontal Bar |
| Police Rank 4 (Police Officer II) | Two Stars on One Horizonatal Bar |
| Police Rank 3 (Senior Police Officer) | Three Stars on One Horizontal Bar |
| Police Rank 2 (Assistant Inspector) | Four Stars on One Horizontal Bar |
| Police Rank 1 (Inspector) | One Star on Two Horizontal Bars |
| Police Supervisor Rank 4 (Senior inspector) | Two Stars on Two Horizontal Bars |
| Police Supervisor Rank 3 (Superintendent) | Three Stars on Two Horizontal Bars |
| Police Supervisor Rank 2 (Senior Superintendent) | Four Stars on Two Horizontal Bars |
| Police Supervisor Rank 1 (Superintendent General) | One Star on Gold Field |
| Chief Superintendent General | Two Stars on Gold Field |
| Deputy Director General | Three Stars on Gold Field |
| Director General | Four Stars on Gold Field |
Before 1999, the lowest-grade street policemen held the rank as "two stars on one horizontal bar," so-called "one dime and two cents." On March 3, 1999, an adjustment of police ranking came down from the Ministry of Interior, ROC in Taiwan. The regular police men or women on street would at least hold the rank of "three stars on one horizontal bar," so-called "one dime and three cents."
Althought the Director-Generals of Taipei and Kaohsiung City Police Departments hold the same rank as the Director-Generals of NPA and Central Police University, the latter two are presidential commissioned. As a curtsey, the former two Director-Generals usually wear a lower rank in public.
[edit] History
The current police service in Taiwan traces its roots back to police forces established in Taiwan during Japanese colonial rule, as well as police services established in Mainland China during the early 20th Century.
[edit] Japanese Colonial Police
See also: Taiwan under Japanese rule
The first formal police forces in Taiwan were organized by the Japanese Colonial Government which oversaw Taiwan between 1895 and 1945. In the early years of Japanese rule, rebellions were common especially in rural areas. With the passage of the "Bandit Laws", police forces as well as garrison units from the Japanese military were tasked with surpression of rebels, though large scale rebellions had largely died out by 1902. Military and police forces were also involved in the efforts of the colonial government to secure control over the mountainous regions of Taiwan from the Taiwanese aborigines around 1910, and a series of smaller attempted rebellions and civil disorders between 1912 and 1916[3]. With the gradual acceptance of Japanese rule sinking in among the general populance by the 1920's, most agitators turned to seeking political change and reform within the established system in the home rule movement, Secret police forces were tasked with keeping a close watch on political groups and agitators.
Most of the members of the police forces during this time were expatriate Japanese, though towards the latter period of Japanese rule, locals began to be recruited. Throughout much of this time, the police forces were granted broad power and authority and allegations of police brutality were common, especially during the earlier periods of Japanese rule. Consequently, they were not particularly liked by the general populance,[4] and were often viewed as a symbol of the more oppressive side of Japanese rule; though this gradually changed with the stabilization of the political situation. Nonetheless, Japan was generally credited for formally establishing law and order in what had previously been a hotbed of rebellion and lawlessness during Ching Dynasty rule. Much of the law enforcement infrastructure and traditions developed during this time would continue to be used under postwar ROC rule.
[edit] Police in the early ROC
The ROC's law enforcement system built upon the foundations laid down during the Ching Dynasty with the establishment of the Peking Public Inspection Headquarters in 1902. Following the overthrow of the Ching Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic in 1912, a National Police Department was established under the aspicies of the Ministry of the Interior. This early centralized system consisted of a national headquarters in the capital, provinicial police administrations for each province, police departments and bureaus at the municipal and county level respectively. This system was transferred to Taiwan following its transfer to ROC control in 1947 two years after the end of World War II, though the basic system from the Japanese era was retained.[5]
[edit] Martial Law
In 1972, to streamline organizational costs, the National Police Department was merged with the Taiwan Police Administration to form the new National Police Agency (NPA).[6]
[edit] Post-Martial Law era reforms
The Taiwan Provincial Police Administration was again separated from the NPA in 1995 with the implementation of local autonomy statutes in the ROC Constitution. Fire-fighting units also ceased to be part of the NPA from that year and were reorganized into a separate fire department. National Fire Agency of Ministry of Interior was established on March 1, 1995 to be responsible for fire prevention, disaster rescue and emergency medical service.
In 1999, with the downsizing of the provincial level of government, the Taiwan Provincial Police Administration was dissolved and its personnel and responsibilities were once again transferred to the National Police Agency.[7]
An increase in crime and liberalization of the mass media in the 1990s led to many questions concerning the effectiveness of the police force in investigating and fighting crime, as opposed to its prior concentration on crowd and riot control, a carryover from the martial law era.
[edit] Recent years
With increased media coverage in recent years and the proliferation of tabloid newspapers and 24 hour cable news channels throughout Taiwan, the police force has been faced with new challenges involving high profile crimes, and increased media involvement[8]. Past concerns of police corruption have largely been replaced by concerns of police ineffectiveness, particularly in light of several high profile cases in recent years. Gun related crime has also increased, though the overall crime rate in Taiwan remains lower than that of most western and Asian nations.
On 22 July 2000, four workers carrying out riverbed construction work in Pachang Creek, Chiayi County, were surrounded by the quickly rising torrent on Saturday afternoon. The four stood in the center of the river for three hours, waiting for a helicopter that never came, and were finally washed away at around 7:08pm in sight of family members, helpless would-be rescuers, and the lens of news cameras on the riverbank[9]. As a result, three government top officials resigned, including the deputy Premier of Executive Yuan and two Director-Generals from National Police Agency and National Fire Agency. This huge fiasco of bureaucracy caused a field day from news media in Taiwan and triggerd a reform of the airborne emergency management system. On 10 March 2004, the newly formed National Airborne Service Corps (NASC) of the Ministry of Interior absorbed four civil airborne squadrons: the Airborne Squadron of National Police Agency, the Preparatory Office of the Airborne Fire Fighting Squadron of National Fire Agency, the Aviation Team of Civil Aeronautics Administration of Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Air Patrol Squadron of the Coast Guard Administration. NASC takes over the reponsibilities of five major airborne tasks：Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief, Emergency Medical Services, Reconnaissance and Patrol, and Transportation.
On 26 July 2004, members of the Criminal Investigation Bureau engaged in what was arguably the largest gunbattle in the history of modern Taiwan with members of a kidnapping gang in Kaohsiung County. Though they held a numerical advantage, the officers found themselves outgunned by the suspects who possessed bullet proof vests and M16's. In the ensuing gunfight four police officers were injured, and two suspects were shot and arrested. However the ringleader of the gang manged to escape along with a cohort after holding a passing civilian hostage and escaping in a hijacked car on live TV. The ensuing manhunt was widely covered, the ringleader was finally arrested following another gunbattle with police in July 2005.[10][11]
On 28 Feb 2006, Hou Yu-ih, the Criminal Investigation Bureau Commissioner, assumed command as the director-general of the National Police Agency[12]. He, a career police officer, is the youngest-ever to hold that post.
[edit] Policing in the ROC
[edit] General info
In addition to normal law enforcement duties, police in the ROC are charged with other slightly more unusual duties such as taking census data, as well as immigration and visa related issues.[13] Most jurisdictions also have a Foreign Affairs squad staffed by English speaking officers tasked with visa enforcement and issues relating to foreigners or the foreign community in Taiwan.
With the exception of traffic police in some local departments, all police officers carry small firearms and batons. A criticism that has emerged in recent years is that police officers generally do not carry any nonlethal weapons aside from batons such as tasers or pepper spray, limiting their options when dealing with violent criminals. Police in Taiwan have sometimes been known to fire warning shots or at the legs of fleeing suspects, though this practice has reportedly decreased in recent years.
Most police officers patrol in marked police cars or small motorscooters. Motorcycles are typically used only by the traffic police. Police officers patrol with the light bars on their cars turned on. Like many other nations in the Asia Pacific region, the emergency number for police in Taiwan is 1-1-0.
Contrary to common belief, by "Law of the dispatching of Judicial Police Personnel," the military police can deal with civilian affairs under the supervision of the public prosecutor(s) from all Court Prosecutors' Offices at all levels under the Ministry of Justice. Once so often, some public prosecutor(s) would direct the military police to handle searchs or arrests with cases of police-related crimes or fugitive recovory.
[edit] Selection & training
Career police officers are trained at either the Taiwan Police College in Taipei or the Central Police University in Taoyuan. The Taiwan Police College provides basic training for entry level police officers assigned to patrol duty, while the Police University provides more advanced training for entry level or active duty officers in forensics, administration, foreign affairs, information technology, law and other related subjects.
Conscripts may also choose to fulfil their mandatory twenty month national service requirement in the Police Department following basic training. Conscripts are typically deployed to assist local officers in positions such as traffic control, riot control, secretarial work, and basic patrol. Conscripts serving in the police force are generally not issued firearms.
[edit] Uniforms
Most police officers wear the standard uniform which consists of dark blue pants, cap, jacket (in winter), and a light grey shirt. A rank insignia is worn over the right breast pocket of the shirt. Two patches are worn, one on each shoulder: one with the NPA insignia, department name, and serial number. The second patch may be optional and is specific to the squad or unit the officer belongs to.
Members of certain SWAT units will usually wear dark blue BDU style uniforms rather than the regular one. Detectives typically dress in plainclothes.
Conscripts serving alternative national service with the police wear khaki uniforms instead of the standard police blue.
[edit] See also
[edit] References & notes
- ^ Fig. 4-9 Comparison of Police Force Strengths by Country (PDF). 2005 Police White Paper (94年警政白皮書) (2005). Retrieved on 2006-03-26.
- ^ National Police Administration - Taiwan Intelligence and Security Agencies. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2006-03-08.
- ^ Organization. National Police Agency, ROC Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-03-08.
- ^ Haddon, R. (1987). "Mimesis and Motivation in Taiwan Colonial Fiction". B. C. Asian Review.
- ^ History. National Police Agency, ROC Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-03-08.
- ^ History. National Police Agency, ROC Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-03-08.
- ^ History. National Police Agency, ROC Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-03-08.
- ^ Lin, Jean. "MOI details new rules on media access to airport", The Taipei Times, 2006-02-28, p. 2.
- ^ Jou, Ying-cheng. "Outrage over river tragedy", The Taipei Times, Monday, 2000-07-24, p. 1.
- ^ "Getting away with murder", The Taipei Times, 2004-10-24.
- ^ "張錫銘與警激戰 中槍送醫", 蕃薯藤新聞, 2005-07-13.
- ^ "Hou Yu-ih becomes youngest-ever NPA director-general", The Taipei Times, 2006-02-28, p. 3.
- ^ Regulations Governing the Inspection and Registration of Alien’s Residence or Permanent Residence. National Police Agency, ROC Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-03-08. "The inspection and registration affairs as prescribed in these Regulations shall be planned by the National Police Agency (NPA) of the Ministry of the Interior, and executed by city or county (city) police under the supervision of the NPA before the Bureau of Immigration of the Ministry of the Interior is established."
